The Supreme Court, on Friday, discharged and acquitted former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, over an allegation that he falsely declared his assets in 2007.
The supreme court ruling upheld the nullification of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, judgement that convicted Orubebe.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of justices, dismissed the appeal filed by the Federal Government to set aside the Court of Appeal judgement that discharged and acquitted him prior.
In the lead judgement that was prepared by Justice Garba Mohammed, but read on Friday by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the Supreme Court held that FG’s appeal against Orubebe was incompetent.
The panel held that FG acted in breach of its rules when it failed to obtain permission before it lodged the appeal on “mixed law and facts.”
Prior to the latest ruling, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had on June 14, 2017, nullified Orubebe’s conviction.
In a unanimous decision, the appellate court panel, led by Justice Mohammed Abdul Aboki, voided Orubebe’s conviction on the premise that the CCT verdict occasioned a miscarriage of justice against him.
The judgement followed an appeal the former minister lodged to challenge his trial and conviction.
Orubebe, in his Notice of Appeal marked CA/A/633c/2016, urged the appellate court to not only set aside the judgment that the Mr, Danladi Umar-led tribunal delivered against him on October 4, 2016, but to equally discharge and acquit him of the charge.
The CCT, in its verdict, said it was satisfied that Orubebe shielded his ownership of Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja.
